Quick and Easy Gluten Free Biscuits {Dairy-free, Vegan}

20 minutes is all you need to have these easy and scrumptious gluten-free biscuits done and on the table! In fact, they are so easy, my children make them regularly - with little to no help from mom. 

Gluten-Free Biscuits

Is there anything more more satisfying than enjoying a gluten-free biscuit or a gluten-free roll with a hearty meal? We often make these easy gluten-free biscuits to enjoy with Mexican Black Bean Soup, Instant Pot White Chili, or Vegan Tomato Soup.

Is there gluten in biscuits?

Yes, biscuits are commonly made with wheat flour, where gluten is present. Therefore, if you are gluten-free, making gluten-free biscuits using gluten-free flours and starches is necessary. 

Are there any good gluten-free biscuits in a can? 

While I prefer these homemade dairy-free biscuits, I can't help but search for a decent gluten-free biscuit in a can. Have any of you found any?

I am unaware of any brands out there, but I'm not sure if that's because there really aren't any available, or I just haven't heard/found them yet.

Biscuits in a can were a classic childhood staple (at least from my childhood!). While maybe not the healthiest option, they definitely were convenient!  

What is a drop biscuit? 

A gluten-free drop biscuit is a biscuit made by dropping spoonfuls of dough onto a pan for baking. Drop biscuits are more rustic in shape, where as a classic biscuit is uniform in shape since the dough is generally rolled out and cut using a cookie cutter, biscuit cutter, etc. 

Gluten-free drop biscuits are way less time consuming to prepare, making them a super quick and easy option on a busy night. 

Gluten-Free Biscuit Ingredients & Substitutions

• Distilled white vinegar- In this recipe, the distilled white vinegar is combined with the cold hemp milk to form a buttermilk of sorts (that's dairy-free and vegan). Apple cider vinegar should work in place of the distilled white vinegar if you need to make a substitution. 
• Cold hemp milk- Substitute with almond milk, or coconut milk beverage. Just keep in mind, hemp milk is thicker and creamier than other dairy-free milks. So if you substitute almond milk or coconut milk beverage (which are thinner), you may need slightly less of it.  
• Millet flour, sorghum flour, tapioca starch- This recipe is specially formulated with these specific flours/starch to achieve a specific taste and texture. I don't recommend substituting a gluten-free all purpose mix in their place. 
• Baking powder- This is required for leavening in this recipe. 
• Organic cane sugar- Regular white sugar can be used as a substitute. 
• Sea salt- Salt imparts such wonderful flavor, don't skimp on this ingredient! 
• Xanthan gum- Without gluten, xanthan gum is needed to bind the recipe ingredients together. Guar gum may possibly work as a substitute, but I have not tried it in this recipe. 
• Cold palm shortening- I use a non-hydrogenated palm shortening, but you certainly can substitute cold vegan butter if desired. 

Key Gluten-Free Vegan Biscuits Tips

• Keep your ingredients cold! This is key to getting that flaky and tender consistency biscuits are known and loved for. 
• Do not use an electric mixer. Mix by hand and be careful not to over mix! Seeing chunks of shortening and lumps in the batter is a GOOD thing. So make sure when you add the wet ingredients to the dry you only stir until just blended. 
• Once the biscuit dough is mixed together, immediately form your vegan biscuits and get them in the oven to bake. Don't let the raw dough sit. 

Gluten-Free Biscuit Dough Consistency

This dough is significantly wetter than the average biscuit dough. It should be too wet to roll out and cut into shapes, but not so wet that it won't hold the shape of a golf ball (although it's okay if the dough slightly relaxes, you just don't want it to go flat). 

Troubleshooting Wheat-Free Biscuits

Not all xanthan gums are created equal. Our local store ran out of my normal Bob’s Red Mill Xanthan Gum and the only other brand they had available was an off brand. Suddenly my tried and true recipes were failing miserably. Breads and biscuits that were supposed to be light and fluffy ended up flat, spread out, and crumbly. Pay the extra few dollars for a high quality xanthan gum. It’s definitely worth it.

The amount of liquid used and baking time all depend on room temperature, altitude, and humidity. What works for me here in Alaska may differ from what works in the humid south in the middle of summer. If your dairy-free biscuits are consistently flat (and you're using a high quality xanthan gum), reduce the amount of hemp milk used by 1-2 tablespoons. 

1. In a small mixing bowl, combine the distilled white vinegar and the hemp milk, and chill in the refrigerator to keep cold.
2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together, the millet flour, tapioca starch, sorghum flour, baking powder, organic cane sugar, sea salt, and xanthan gum.
3. Add in the shortening.
4. Cut in shortening until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. 
5. Pour in the hemp-vinegar mixture.
6. Mix into the dry ingredients until just combined. Do not over-mix. The batter will be sticky and shaggy.
7. Using an ice cream scooper, scoop the dough into 9 separate balls on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 14-18 minutes, just until golden. 

What do you top gluten-free biscuits with?

We top our gluten-free drop biscuits with a pat of vegan butter (or ghee) and a drizzle of honey. Jam would also be wonderful! 

Alternately, you could also make gluten-free breakfast biscuits using egg, bacon, sausage, canadian bacon, etc. Or pile on the veggies for a vegan option. Hand-held breakfasts are convenient and quick! 

I hope you enjoy these gf biscuits as much as my family does!
xoxo,
Mēgan

Other gluten-free recipes to try:

Baked Chicken Jollof Rice (African recipe) from Recipes From A Pantry
Slow Cooker Beef Stew from My Gluten-Free Kitchen
Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Spaghetti Squash from the Real Food Dieticians
Gluten-Free Orange Chicken from Mom Advice
Vegan Cream of Mushroom Soup from Allergy Free Alaska

Gluten-Free Biscuits Recipe:

Continue to Content

Gluten Free Biscuits

Yield: 9

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

20 minutes is all you need to have these easy and scrumptious gluten-free biscuits done and on the table! They are so easy, my children make them regularly!

Print

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
• 1 cup cold hemp milk (see recipe notes for subs)
• ¾ cup millet flour
• ¾ cup tapioca starch
• ½ cup sorghum flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 tablespoon organic cane sugar
• ¾ teaspoon sea salt
• ½ teaspoon xanthan gum
• 6 tablespoons cold palm shortening (or vegan butter)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees (F), and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone liner.
2. In a small mixing bowl, combine the distilled white vinegar and the hemp milk, and chill in the refrigerator to keep cold.
3. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together, the millet flour, tapioca starch, sorghum flour, baking powder, organic cane sugar, sea salt, and xanthan gum.
4. Cut in cold shortening until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. 
5. Gently mix the hemp-vinegar mixture into the dry ingredients until just combined. Do not over-mix. The batter will be sticky and shaggy.
6. Using an ice cream scooper, scoop the dough into 9 separate balls on the prepared baking sheet.
7. Bake for 14-18 minutes, or until the biscuits are golden brown. Serve warm.
   

Notes

This dough is significantly wetter than the average biscuit dough. It should be too wet to roll out and cut into shapes, but not so wet that it won't hold the shape of a golf ball (although it's okay if the dough slightly relaxes, you just don't want it to go flat). 

Make sure your hemp milk and palm shortening are COLD!

Cold hemp milk- Substitute with almond milk, or coconut milk beverage. Just keep in mind, hemp milk is thicker and creamier than the other dairy-free milks. So if you substitute almond milk or coconut milk beverage (which are thinner), you may need 1-2 tablespoons less of it.  

The amount of liquid used and baking time all depend on room temperature, altitude, and humidity. What works for me here in Alaska may differ from what works in the humid south in the middle of summer. If your dairy-free biscuits are consistently flat (and you’re using a high quality xanthan gum, like Bob's Red Mill), reduce the amount of hemp milk used by 1-2 tablespoons. 

Recommended Products

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• 
  Pacific Foods Hemp Original Plant-Based Beverage, 32oz, 12-pack
• 
  Spectrum Naturals Organic Shortening, All Vegetable, 24 oz
• 
  Xanthan Gum
• 
  Wholesome Organic Cane Sugar
• 
  Bob's Red Mill Whole Grain Sorghum, 24 Oz (Pack of 4)
• 
  Anthony's Organic Tapioca Flour Starch
• 
  Bob's Red Mill Millet Flour, 23-ounce (Pack of 4)
• 
  Cookie Scoop Set,JSDOIN Ice Cream Scoop Set, 3 PCS 18/8 Stainless Steel Ice Cream Scoop Trigger Include Large-Medium-Small Size, Melon Scoop (cookie scoop)